BRIGHTON, ENGLAND -- John Cleese has a lot to answer for. Legions of English seaside hotels have struggled against the image of monstrous service and shabby rooms created by his popular Fawlty Towers TV series, with visitors half-expecting ranting managers and idiotic staff as part of the package. In reality, most establishments have moved on from the days of serving Siberian hamsters to health inspectors, with one city leading the charge.
Arguably the country's most vibrant seaside resort, Brighton -- a one-hour train ride from London -- has never relied solely on holidaymakers. While other coastal towns slipped into paint-peeled obsolescence when the Brits began switching en masse to overseas vacations in the 1980s, the locals here focused on attractions to please themselves. The result is a hip seaside city dripping with galleries, nightlife and a labyrinth of back streets lined with independent stores, quirky coffee shops and charming pubs.
When it comes to accommodation, Brighton is also ahead of the curve. Traditional B&Bs, guest houses and hotels are being slowly reclaimed and updated, with an attention-to-detail, boutique approach permeating both high-end and mid-range properties.
In the mid-range stakes, Brighton Wave is a 19th-century townhouse transformed into a stylish, very comfortable B&B. At the pricier end of the market, Drakes Hotel has become a byword for luxury pampering. And among the cheap-as-chips properties, St. Christopher's Inn combines backpacker-friendly dorms with great-value private rooms. Together, they offer the kind of innovations that would have forced Basil Fawlty to roll his eyes and close his doors for good.
MID-RANGE
BRIGHTON WAVE
Original artworks, plush floor-to-ceiling headboards and a DVD library for those in-room flat-screen TVs: Brighton Wave is a three-year-old boutique B&B that firmly challenges that idea of mediocre English guest houses.
On a street near the waterfront -- some rooms have sideways views of the sea if you press your face against the windows -- that adjoins a bustling area of funky cafés, guests are treated to the kind of luxury flourishes usually reserved for more expensive properties.
Behind the door of this grey, unassuming Victorian property, the walls are lined with eye-catching paintings and photographs by local artists.
The creative visuals are complemented by a dining room of matte-black tables and chairs mirroring the pricier end of the Ikea catalogue.
In the eight rooms, the beds dominate, with their giant suede headboards adding a designer élan and their huge snow-white duvets thick enough to require heavy lifting equipment. Each room has a compact, modern, ensuite bathroom with shower and heated floor, while some also have 19th-century hearths, stuffed with tangles of Christmas lights to simulate a cozy fire.
Free wireless Internet access is offered -- the house laptop is available for those travelling sans computer -- and there's a free can of candies and chocolate bars in every room.
Alongside these small but important details, it's the laid-back welcome that makes Brighton Wave worth the money. Geared to leisure rather than business travellers, guests don't have to be up at the crack of dawn for breakfast, with most ambling downstairs after 9 a.m. for a menu of brie-stuffed croissants, blueberry pancakes and the highly recommended mushrooms on toast: a mountain of thick-cut, lightly cooked 'shrooms that provides a perfect morning kick start.
HIGH END
DRAKES HOTEL
Like a row of off-white English teeth that haven't seen the dentist in a while, Brighton's seafront is crammed with old stucco townhouses somewhat past their prime. Among those recently restored to their former glory, Drakes Hotel stands out like a laser-whitened incisor.
But despite its scrubbed-clean exterior, this ultra-chic designer hotel manages to be both high-end and comfortable, eschewing the snooty approach of many similarly expensive British sleepovers.
It's also a real, service-oriented boutique hotel, unlike all those small properties that have simply jumped on the bandwagon by adding fruit baskets and L'Occitane soaps to their guest rooms.
The difference at Drakes is a determinedly personalized approach where in-room massages or powerboat trips to France are arranged at the drop of a hat (and a gold card). There's also a sumptuous on-site restaurant that attracts plenty of non-guests -- the hazelnut-crusted venison is recommended here.
Each of Drakes's 20 suites is a spacious home from home that is hard to leave. Their swanky design fuses modern art deco flourishes like moulded high ceilings with stylish hardwood floors and modernist beds.
Floor-to-ceiling sash windows that echo the building's Regency-era past bring sunlight spilling into the rooms, many of which enjoy uninterrupted views across Brighton's famously stony beach.
Some rooms even have free-standing baths in their bay windows, so you can lay back with a glass of champagne and watch the unwashed masses shuffling past with their fish and chips.
SHOESTRING
ST. CHRISTOPHER'S INN
The days of dour, institutionalized YHA hostels are long forgotten at Brighton's busy St. Christopher's, where a smorgasbord of international backpackers drops by throughout the year.
They're attracted by the great location -- the Brighton Pier fairground is just across the road -- and the chance to party with like-minded souls: echoing its outlets in Bath, Edinburgh and Cornwall's Newquay, St. Christopher's is not a place to quietly finish that copy of War and Peace you've brought with you.
While the brightly painted dorm areas -- ranging in size from four to 10 beds -- are predictably cramped, the facilities are sparse but well maintained. Each dorm has an ensuite shower, and rates include a continental breakfast to make up for the fact that there's no kitchen to chef-up your own mystery meat omelette.
There are also plenty of cheap cafés and take-outs nearby to keep most dining budgets in check. And, as with many St. Christopher's properties, there's a hopping bar and a raucous nightclub downstairs offering beer specials.
Travellers on a slightly higher budget can upgrade to a private room on the hostel's hotel-style upper floors. In a variety of configurations, including quads, doubles and singles, these clean, comfortable rooms are a true Brighton bargain. With satellite TVs and ensuite bathrooms, they are superior to many of the more expensive traditional B&Bs that still line the city's streets.
Hotel vitals
BRIGHTON WAVE
Essentials: 10 Madeira Rd.; 44 (1273) 676794; http://www.brightonwave.co.uk.
Rates and rooms: Eight rooms, ranging from one with a four-poster bed and a tiny balcony to large twins and doubles. Rates, including breakfast, from $160 to $320.
Top draw: Stylish, artsy and convivial.
Needs work: Rooms should include ironing facilities.
DRAKES HOTEL
Essentials: 44 Marine; 44 (1273) 696934; drakesofbrighton.com.
Rates and rooms: 20 custom-designed suites with sea views ($390-$510), attic rooms ($270-$380) and designer singles ($200-$250).
Top draw: A warm, nothing's-too-much-trouble approach.
Needs work: Parking is limited, with guests sometimes reduced to using an off-site parking lot.
ST. CHRISTOPHER'S INN
Essentials: 10-12 Grand Junction Rd.; 44 (20) 7407 1856; http://www.st-christophers.co.uk.
Rates and rooms: 48 dorm beds in four, six, eight and 10-room configurations ($20-$50), as well as 16 private rooms (from $50).
Top draw: Friendly, well-located and great value.
Needs work: Unusually for a backpacker joint, there are no kitchens.
